


Hurt And Comfort

by matchaamochii



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, There isn't any sexual content in this story, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, they just mention it in the past.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:20:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24866716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matchaamochii/pseuds/matchaamochii
Summary: Zuko only recently joined the Gaang. Everyone is still suspicious, and Zuko’s screaming at night isn’t helping his case. They’re going to have to scream some sense into Zuko.
Relationships: The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 160





	Hurt And Comfort

**Author's Note:**

> There's no actual sexual content, but there are mentions of rape.  
> Honestly, it's a terrifying thing, and that's why I wrote at the end that you don't always have to see yourself as a victim. You don't belong to the abuser, and they are in no way related to you. All of your cells are completely changed in the span of 8 years, and so your body isn't the same that was touched. Stay strong, you're important!

“Third Night In a Row!”

Sokka groaned. Katara exhaled.

“We probably shouldn’t of trusted him. I don’t know what he’s up to…” Katara sat up, Aang and Sokka did the same.

“I’m sure it’s nothing bad,” Aang replied cheerfully. Sokka and Katara stared at him, unamused.

“Okay, maybe it’s something bad…” Aang concluded. Zuko slept farther away from the rest of them, they didn’t trust him not to plunge a knife into their chests while they sleep.

“We need to check though,” Sokka said, not quite believing his own words.

“You sound nervous,” Katara’s tone was slightly teasing.

“What? Captain Boomerang doesn’t get nervous!” Sokka replied proudly. After a bit more useless banter, including Toph waking up and adding sassy comments, the four equipped their weapons and slowly stalked towards Zuko.

“Careful. This is probably a trap for him to capture us,” Katara warned.

“Yeah, Yeah, I know,” Toph retorted.

Soon enough, there was a sword to Zuko’s neck to make sure he wouldn’t try anything. Katara moved her small lantern to Zuko’s face to see that he was just… Sleeping..?

“Well, I didn’t expect him to just be peacefully sleeping here,” Sokka muttered with a hint of salt.

“You call that peaceful?” Toph said as Zuko yet again screamed. Upon closer inspection, he was crying. Crying, screaming. What is going on in this boy’s head?

Aang tapped Zuko’s shoulders, but that didn’t wake him up. They kept poking at the boy, but he remained asleep. They gave up, but just as Sokka began to get up, his shoe brushed against Zuko’s thigh, wich had him bolt awake. Not without another scream of course.

“You good? You’ve been screaming all night, every night,” Sokka said, trying to conceal the hint of salt.

“Oh Uhm, Sorry…” Zuko scratched his neck anxiously.

“Yeah, you better be! I haven’t slept in 3 days- Ow!” Katara elbowed Sokka mid sentence.

“I didn’t mean to disturb you at all, I’ll just not sleep,” One thing was for sure; Zuko is awful at hiding the anxiety in his voice.

“What? Nahh! Everyone needs sleep!” Aang replied.

“Oh, uh, okay.”

“Why were you screaming?” Katara questioned.

“Nothing important,” Zuko replied.

“Then why were you screaming? You should just tell us-”

“I said it’s not important!” Zuko snapped. “W-wait… I-I didn’t mean to yell, I’m s-sorry…” Zuko scrunched his whole body into a small ball. The others had never noticed how fragile Zuko looked until then.

“Can you please just tell us?” Aang cut in.

“It’s just… My father,” Zuko sighed. To be honest, it wasn’t the complete truth, but it was the more extreme part.

‘Oh…”

They believed they had solved the problem, until the next night…

“Not this again!” Sokka groaned, throwing his pillow on top of his face.

“How did we wake him up last time?” Sokka instantly looked uncomfortable.

“Definitely not a way we should ever do on purpose. Pretty sure he has more baggage than he’s leading on here,” Sokka said.

“What do you mean by that?” Katara replied.

“My shoe touched his thigh, he suddenly just woke up! Do you seriously not find anything wrong with that?” Sokka spat.

“Well you didn’t tell us that part!” Katara retorted.

“Uhh, I don’t really get it…” Aang muttered.

“You’re way to innocent for that.” Toph said, patting his head.

“And you’re not?”

“I’m young, but not exactly innocent,” Toph said with a grin.

So, this time. They decided to scream into Zuko’s ear, and that worked just fine.

“Ah! Uhm- Huh-” Zuko jolted up.

“Still screaming, bud.” Sokka said.

“Oh, sorry… I could like, tie my mouth shut or something?’ Everyone’s face went to shock from that remark.

“Uhhh-” Aang looked between his friends. “That’s uh- Not necessary…” Aang assured.

“What’s really wrong? There’s clearly more than just your dad.” Katara spat.

“I uh, don’t really like to talk about it…”

“If you don’t, you’ll just keep screaming.” Zuko sighed.

“It’s more than one thing. For a start, I feel so much guilt. I screwed up everything. I’m weak, weak and stupid. And yet, I managed to mess everything up, to hurt so many people,”

“It’s okay-” Aang began.

“But it’s not.” Zuko interrupted. “It isn’t even close.”

“Okay, but what about that would make you scream? I get the crying but..”

“It’s not that at all. I said it was more than one thing.” 

“I’m listening.”

“When I was younger, I think 13, I was…” Zuko exhaled a shaky breath. “I was raped.”

All eyes widened. The rest of the night was a mess of comforting and crying.

But, Zuko could learn to leave all the bad things in the past. He might’ve been a victim, in more ways than one, but he isn’t anymore. He can learn to be strong. With the help of some new friends, of course.


End file.
